


The Faded Carousel

by Nadja_Lee



Series: Let's Talk About Alec [9]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Adopted Children, Background Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Background Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Healing, Immortal Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Immortality, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love, M/M, Moving On, Supportive Magnus Bane, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24587647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadja_Lee/pseuds/Nadja_Lee
Summary: Years has passed. Magnus and Alec are parents now and Alec reflects on how Magnus' love has helped him heal after the abuse he suffered. Alec and Magnus then discuss the future and more specifically Alec’s mortality and his decision to become immortal so he can be with Magnus forever.Fluff and love for everyone as this series ends happily as promised.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Let's Talk About Alec [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606735
Comments: 28
Kudos: 836
Collections: Favorite Malec Stories





	The Faded Carousel

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much to Monochromatize and Cindy for great beta work as always.  
> Chapter warnings: Talk of abuse, moving on, immortality.

_Please read the chapter notes for chapter warnings_

Thanks so much to Regina Danica Villa Bibit for the amazing series banner.  


# The Faded Carousel

Alec was sitting by a group of picnic tables in the park on a sunny and warm Sunday watching Jace, Clary, Izzy, Simon, Raphael, Max and Magnus play baseball together with all the kids; Maximilian and Rafe (a Warlock and a Shadowhunter adopted by Magnus and him), Matthew and Celine (Jace and Clary’s children) and Gabriela (Simon and Izzy’s daughter). It was amazing how over the years Alec had come to not only love doing Mundane things like picnicking and playing in the park on the weekends but how it had become something they did.

With the changes he had helped instigate in Idris, helped along by Jace’s position, Imogen's influence and Magnus' powerbase, Shadowhunters could now, finally, have a life outside of training – children could have a life that consisted of more than just training and fighting. It was a cultural change and it was gradual but the younger generation was jumping at this opportunity to be loving parents; strict and formal, yes but they could show love; they could do something with their kids besides teach them to fight.

He had thought a lot about his parents lately. The latest news he had heard was that his father had been unable to adjust to Mundane life and had taken his own life shortly after he had been de-runed. His mother was nothing if not a survivor. She had claimed to have really changed and had married Luke, her childhood sweetheart, two years ago. He hadn’t seen her or spoken with her since he had given his judgement and he had no desire to. Jace and Izzy never saw her; Max sometimes did. They all still saw Luke though. Despite Luke’s faith in Maryse’ transformation Alec was suspicious that Maryse was just saying what she needed to in order to survive as well as possible. As the years had passed Alec had come to understand, logically, that his parents had just repeated a pattern of abuse, a culture that had encouraged and embraced such behavior. He understood that logically and as the years had passed, he had been able to let it go more and more. However, he still didn’t want to see his mum. It had taken Magnus’ love for Alec to finally realize that this was about him and that it was ok if this was how he felt; what he wanted. Just thinking of Maryse reminded him of the fear and the pain he had lived through in the past. Reminded him of who he had been without Magnus. He never wanted to go back to that dark place.

His eyes fell on Izzy and Jace and he smiled. With time they had gotten less over protective but they both stayed living in the flats next to Magnus and his. It was wonderful to have them close and the kids loved it too.

Finally, he looked at Magnus and his smile grew the way it always did when he looked at him. They had married when Alec had turned twenty and he had never been happier nor surer of anything in his life than he had been that he wanted to marry Magnus. It was more than love; so much more. Magnus had saved him, figurally and literally. He had shown him he was worth loving, he had given him confidence and a safe place to be.

Despite all the years that had passed, and Magnus’ ever patient and loving support Alec still sometimes doubted himself and felt bad about himself, but it had been years now since he had hurt himself. Magnus somehow just always understood; he was always there for him. He was everything Alec had dreamt of but had thought he could never have, more than that; he would never had imagined someone as amazing as Magnus would ever even exist and if such a person did exist that he would want him.

“You are looking thoughtful, Sayangku _[my dear in Indonesian]_ ,” Magnus commented, love and affection in his eyes but a hint of worry in his voice as he came over to him, startling his thoughts.

“I was just thinking how fortunate I am,” Alec said, leaning his head back so Magnus could give him a kiss.

Magnus smiled and kissed him tenderly before he sat next to him, holding his hand under the table.

“Oh? In what way?” Magnus asked intrigued.

Alec had been in the middle of setting up for their outdoor lunch and with a snap of his fingers Magnus arranged the rest and they now each had a glass of cool white wine in front of them.

“I got to marry you,” Alec said lovingly.

“You did indeed. And I got to marry you,” Magnus said with a fond smile, giving him another soft kiss on the lips.

“And we got to have kids,” Alec said, waving towards Rafe and Maximilian yelling something at their cousins.

“You have so much love to give, Alexander. Being a father clearly makes you happy,” Magnus said fondly, looking happily at their sons.

“Loving you and being a father makes me happy,” Alec corrected and Magnus turned back to look at him.

“Likewise, darling,” Magnus said honestly, taking a sip of his wine.

“They look happy too,” Alec commented after having taken a sip of wine too, nodding towards where Jace and Clary was standing, yelling encouragements for their kids in the game.

“Jace and Clarissa,” Magnus clarified, following his eyes.

Alec nodded, “Yeah.”

“The perfect Shadowhunter power couple. Isn’t that what Idris is calling them? The Nephilim power couple?” Magnus mused.

“I think so, yes,” Alec confirmed with a smile

“Well, two pure angel-blooded Nephilim married and have pure angel-blooded children…it is a dream come true for the hardliners,” Magnus remarked.

Alec and he had gotten kids first. Alec had only been 22 when they had adopted their first son. Clary had given birth to her first-born, a son, when she had been 26. Izzy and Simon had gotten their daughter latest as they had had to find a way around the issue of Simon being a vampire and thus unable to father children. Simon had finally suggested an obvious solution; using IVF. They had used DNA from Simon’s sister and the latest technological breakthroughs so that the child Izzy had carried and given birth to had been as close to a mixture of Simon and herself as humanly possible. Being only half Shadowhunter their daughter’s Nephilim abilities were less powerful than for a full Nephilim, her Angel blood weaker, but other than that, she was like a Nephilim in all ways.

“So true. Though neither of them are particularly hardline; on the contrary,” Alec said with relief.

Valentine had clearly had a plan that involved eugenics and there was no doubt that Jace, Clary and their kids were way more powerful than any normal Shadowhunter. Luckily, with the changes to Idris' law few hardliners remained to advocate for such extreme measures.

“True,” Magnus agreed.

“Isabelle seem happy too;” Alec remarked.

Magnus turned and observed her. She was smiling as she was watching her daughter. She did look happy.

“She does indeed,” Magnus said.

“Gabby certainly looks like a miniature Lewis I have to say!” Alec said fondly as he looked at her.

Magnus nodded, “True.”

“Simon seems happy too, doesn’t he?” Alec went on.

Magnus was getting a bit suspicious of all this reflecting his husband was doing but humored him as he confirmed again, “Yes. I mean he loves your sister.”

“True but he also seems happy with being a Daylighter,” Alec insisted, something intense in his tone as he said it.

“I guess” Magnus said, searching Alec’s face, aware he was getting to something.

“It doesn’t seem that hard, being a Daylighter,” Alec went on reflectively.

“Where are you going with this?” Magnus asked directly.

“I talked to Raphael earlier,” Alec admitted, nodding towards the priest who was still kicking ass in the game despite wearing his priestly robes and now being a Mundane. In fact, he likely had an advantage over everyone else except Clary and Simon as they were the only three who had been taught the game growing up.

“Yes?” Magnus asked, raising an eyebrow questioning at him when he looked at the former vampire.

When they had found a way to turn Downworlders like werewolves and vampires back into Mundanes Raphael had been the first to want to become mortal again so he could fulfill the calling he had always felt had been his from birth.

“He is happy he is mortal,” Alec mused.

“He always wanted to be a priest. That is his calling,” Magnus admitted, a bit bittersweetly.

Magnus had imagined the vampire he had considered a son would be with him forever and now he had had to accept he would one day die. It had taken some time to get used to.

“It makes you sad,” Alec said matter of fact, giving his hand a sympathetic squeeze.

“He is mortal now. I will lose him,” Magnus admitted, pain in his voice.

“Even though this is what he wants,” Alec reminded him.

“I have come to accept it but it still hurts. I am happy for him though,” Magnus tried to explain his conflicting emotions on the matter because he was indeed happy for him.

“Me too,” Alec agreed, having long ago developed a great fondness and adoration for Raphael’s calling and dedication to his faith and his community, always helping the weakest. The day he had gotten his collar and become a priest and been given a parish here in New York….Alec hadn’t seen the former vampire so happy before.

“Where are you going with this?” Magnus asked with a hint of worry and curiosity.

“Raphael was sad to be a vampire because of his faith but not the idea of immortality,” Alec explained.

“He told you that?” Magnus asked.

Alec nodded, “Yes.”

“Well, then I guess it is true,” Magnus said, unsure why that was important.

Alec looked intensely at his husband and took a deep breath as he said, “I think being a Daylighter would be ok.”

“Alexander, what precisely are you telling me?” Magnus asked seriously.

“Magnus, I love you, you know that,” Alec said slowly, thinking carefully about his words.

“Yes…You are scaring me now,” Magnus admitted, worried, unsure where Alec was going with his statements.

Alec smiled disarmingly.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to,” Alec quickly assured him and gave him a tender kiss.

“What is it, Alexander?” Magnus asked when Alec drew back, more calm now but still puzzled what his husband wanted to say.

“I have thought about it a lot and I want to be a Daylighter,” Alec finally said, worry for Magnus’ reaction meaning he said it quickly, the words tumbling out.

“Alexander!” Magnus gasped in surprise.

“It is not like we haven’t thought about it. Maximilian has mentioned it too,” Alec reminded him quickly.

“Your bother or our son?” Magnus asked with a hint of a smile.

Max had been named Maximilian before they had adopted him but he was called Max by them in private; it did make family gatherings fun if they would not use his full name when calling him while Alec’s brother was also there.

“Both actually,” Alec said with a smile.

“If you were a Daylighter you would no longer be Nephilim,” Magnus warned, frowning in concern.

Alec nodded and said seriously, “I know.”

“You would be of demon blood,” Magnus reminded him.

“Stop being so dramatic!” Alec protested. “Luke did that just fine for ages.”

“True,” Magnus conceded.

“I want to be a Daylighter so I can be with you forever,” Alec concluded.

Then he hesitated and looked down.

“Unless you don’t want that,” he finished softly, suddenly feeling uncertain.

Magnus took a hand under his chin and tipped his head up so he was looking at him.

“Of course I want that, Alexander! Why would you think otherwise?” Magnus told him warmly, strongly, letting him see how sincere he was in his face and eyes.

Alec smiled at that but couldn’t help but remind him, “You haven’t brought it up before.”

“I didn’t want to push you,” Magnus explained.

“I want to. I have always wanted to,” Alec said eagerly, lovingly.

“It is a big decision,” Magnus reminded him.

“I have known I want to be with you forever since I first saw you. Believe me; at almost forty I am not rushing into it!” Alec said with a happy smile, reassured and comforted by the love in Magnus’ eyes and face.

“Ok, ok, darling. I believe you,” Magnus said with a wide smile as he gave him a kiss.

“Good,” Alec said satisfied as Magnus pulled back. He then looked over at Jace and his expression darkened a bit.

“I am only sad about Jace; that we will lose our parabatai bond,” Alec admitted, biting his lower lip in worry for him; for them both.

Living without the bond when they had always had it would be very painful and difficult.

Magnus was thoughtful for a moment but the pain and longing in Alec’s eyes made him speak. Magnus would do anything to see Alec’s dreams fulfilled; no matter what they were.

“I have heard of a way a Nephilim can gain immortality and keep rune power, including the parabatai bond but it is extremely painful,” Magnus admitted, somewhat reluctantly.

Alec looked excitedly at him and smiled happily as he said, “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Did you not hear the extremely painful part?” Magnus reminded him.

Alec shook his head, still smiling widely as he proclaimed, “I don’t care.”

“I care,” Magnus insisted, worry in his voice.

Alec gave him a pleading look and took a hold of his hands with both of his.

“Magnus, please. I want this. I can do this,” Alec insisted, his eyes intense on his, begging him to understand.

“I know. I just….I don’t want you to suffer,” Magnus admitted softly.

“I know but it will be brief and then I would still have Jace and I would be with you forever. It is my dream come true. More than all the changes we have seen in the Shadow World, more than anything else than that is my dream,” Alec told him, firmly, determined.

Magnus scanned his face and could tell he meant it.

“Very well. If you wish it,” Magnus agreed somewhat grudgingly. 

He didn’t like Alec to be in pain but as he had also told him so long ago, he would never take any choice away from him. If he wanted this Magnus would support it.

“I do,” Alec declared firmly, smiling happily at him, “Thank you.”

Alec paused before he asked eagerly, “How do we do it?”

“It is a Warlock ritual which would bring you to the brink of death and then use dark magic to bring you back and bind you to a Warlock, in this case me,” Magnus explained seriously.

“Bind me? What does that mean?” Alec asked, unafraid but curious.

“It means the dark magic keeping you alive will come from me,” Magnus evaluated.

“Meaning?” Alec prompted.

“As long as I live you live, ergo immortality,” Magnus clarified further.

Alec turned the words over in his head. He would not want to live without Magnus anyway, so it was not a hard decision. He smiled widely.

“That sounds perfect!” Alec proclaimed happily.

Magnus’ expression clouded as he warned, “But if I were to die…”

“I would die too; as I said….perfect!” Alec interrupted him with, smiled brilliantly. He couldn’t imagine anything better than knowing he would never be parted from Magnus; one way or another.

Magnus shook his head, in awe of this man who he was so lucky to call husband.

“I love you so much, Alexander,” he said tenderly.

“I love you too,” Alec said fondly as he kissed him.

“When do you want to do this?” Magnus asked more seriously as they pulled apart.

“As soon as possible. Tomorrow if we can,” Alec said eagerly.

“That quick?” Magnus asked surprised.

“I have waited since I first saw you; I don’t want to waste more time,” Alec admitted frankly.

“Ok, darling. Ok. I will set it up. Could have it all ready by next week,” Magnus said, already trying to plan it out in his head, whom he should contact etc.

“Sounds perfect,” Alec agreed, still smiling.

"The rirual could bring Jace immortality too as your souls are shared. Would he be ok with this?" Magnus warned.

"Yes. We have talked about different scenarios for years now. Clary will choose immortality if he does and that's all he wants," Alec explained.

Magnus smiled at that. He saw their family and friends all coming towards the table for lunch.

“They are coming back to the table. Do you want to tell them now?” Magnus asked, willing to support any decision he took on this as he did anything Alec did.

Alec nodded, smiling joyfully. “Yes.”

“Very well,” Magnus said, smiling as well. “I love you, Alexander. Forever and beyond that,” he told him tenderly as he stroked his cheek.

“I love you too. Always,” Alec said back.

“What are you two whispering about?” Jace teased, smiling at them as he seated himself opposite Alec at the table, Clary sitting down beside him.

“Well, Alexander has something he wants to tell you all,” Magnus said when everyone were finally seated.

“If this is not that you are either adopting another child or dad is becoming immortal I will be very annoyed!” Max declared, looking intensely at his dads, smiling.

Everyone laughed at that, aware that both had been reoccurring issues at the Lightwood-Bane household for quite a while now.

“Well…” Alexander began and looked at Jace and Izzy. “I have decided to become immortal.”

He saw how worried Jace looked and quickly added, “It is a Warlock ritual which will ensure we keep our parabatai bond; I would keep my runes.”

“Really? I am so happy for you,” Jace said warmly, standing up to come over and hug the still seated Alec.

“Congratulations. I am happy for you,” Izzy said, having rose as well and when Jace pulled back she hugged him.

“You are not sad?” Alec asked, looking questioning at her.

“Not at all. I still have some time to decide if I want to do something like this. The same for Jace and Clary, if the ritual won't effect Jace too that is,” Izzy reassured him, smiling, insightful as ever.

Alec nodded his thanks as she sat back down again and Jace did likewise.

“I knew it! You owe me fifty bucks, bro. You too cousins!” Maximilian proclaimed, looking at Rafe and then the remaining kids.

“What? Why?” Alec asked confused as Rafe reluctantly handed over the money while the cousins starting arguing about the bet conditions.

“We were betting whether you got it together and did this before your 40th. I won!” Maximilian proclaimed, looking at his cousins pointedly.

“Guess we were the last to know,” Magnus said with a smile, looking fondly at Alec.

“Apparently,” Alec agreed with laughter still in his voice.

“Love you, Lightwood-Bane,” Magnus aid seriously.

“Love you too, husband. Love you too,” Alec said lovingly.

Alec couldn’t wait to start eternity with his husband and yet even knowing he would be with Magnus forever; even that did not seem like long enough. Everything he had gone through growing up, all his pain and doubts, all of his insecurities and uncertainties….all of it had faded now in the light of Magnus’ love. All of it had been worth it to bring him to this point, to this love….to Magnus. Forever.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story months ago and almost didn't post it as I normally don't do pure fluff pieces. But I thought maybe someone would like it, even though I am not hurting anyone ;)  
> So this ends the series. I hope everyone enjoyed the journey. If you liked this series you might enjoy other of my Shadowhunter stories: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadja_Lee/pseuds/Nadja_Lee/works?fandom_id=6856609


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